From the Provincial Carmelite Formation Priestly Ordination Year of Faith Pg. 2 Pg. 4 Pg. 3 Pg. 10 “Persevere in your Carmelite vocation, it is worth it!” “A good formation in Carmel is necessary for growth and maturity...” Fr. Raymond Bueno, O.C.D. ordained October 13, 2012. A Carmelite approach to the Year of Faith. CARMELITE CONNECTIONS ALSO IN THIS ISSUE OF CONNECTIONS: Featured Article Carmel of Saint Teresa Alhambra CA 100th Jubilee Year of Foundation 1913 -2013 Pg.6 Newsletter of the Discalced Carmelite Friars California-Arizona Province Spring 2013
Transcript
From the Provincial Carmelite FormationPriestly Ordination Year of Faith
Pg. 2 Pg. 4Pg. 3 Pg. 10
“Persevere in your Carmelite vocation, it is worth it!”
“A good formation in Carmel is necessary for growth and maturity...”
Fr. Raymond Bueno, O.C.D. ordained October 13, 2012.
A Carmelite approach to the Year of Faith.
CARMELITE CONNECTIONS
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE OF CONNECTIONS:
Featured ArticleCarmel of Saint Teresa
Alhambra CA100th Jubilee Year of Foundation
1913 -2013
Pg.6
Newsletter of the Discalced Carmelite FriarsCalifornia-Arizona ProvinceSpring 2013
Fr. Raymond offers his first blessing to one of the nuns at the Alhambra Carmel.
Fr. Raymond Bueno’s 1st Mass of Thanksgiving at the Carmel of St. Teresa, Alhambra CA.
Congratulations to you, Reverend Father Raymond of the Blessed Sacrament, on your response to God’s calling. May the brightest of his blessings shine upon you now and always.
2 3Fr. Raymond Bueno
Friars from around the Province gathered recently at our Provincial Assembly to discuss items of mutual interest. Fr. Philip Sullivan, O.C.D., Superior of our community at St. Therese Church, Alhambra, CA, was sharing about the friars that he lives with. One of the friars of Alhambra is Fr. Jerome Lantry, O.C.D., who resides in an Assisted Living
facility in Duarte, CA, and is ninety-two years old. Fr. Philip asked Fr. Jerome if he wished to send a message to the friars at the meeting, and Fr. Jerome said, yes, in fact he did have a message: “Tell the friars: ‘Persevere in your Carmelite vocation, it is worth it!’” And Fr. Jerome added the exclamation point himself!
I’ve been thinking of what Fr. Jerome said. His message is so simple yet perfectly “on the mark” – Our Carmelite vocation IS worth it! We are truly blessed with this gift of our Catholic faith; this faith that unites us ever closer to a God who gave His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to set us free from sin, so that we can live for Him alone.
Our mission as a Province, and as individual friars is first, last and always, to give witness through our lives and words to this wonderful God who has blessed us in so many ways. We are excited and honored to do this, and we are humbled by the knowledge that we are not alone in this endeavor. No, we have a great cloud of support from our friends, benefactors, and co-workers in the harvest of the Kingdom of God.
We ask that you continue to be co-workers with your prayers, talents, and financial support, as this is part of your own Carmelite vocation. These are great times for our Catholic Church and Discalced Carmelite Order; with a new Holy Father, with the joy of Easter still in our hearts, with the Good News of the Gospel being preached in the our Province as well as in Uganda. It is a privileged time, a season of refreshment, and we are on this journey together. Thank you for your support and prayers, and remember:
Persevere in your Carmelite vocation, it is worth it!
The day was bright as the sun poured forth its glorious rays. It became even brighter as the magnificence of the sacrament of Holy Orders shone upon one called to the priesthood in
Christ’s Church. On that Saturday, October 13th, 2012, one of our own Discalced Carmelite friars, Raymond (Bueno) of the Blessed Sacrament, was ordained a priest. As a Carmelite of our Lady’s Order, the chosen day was fitting as it was on that date in 1917 that our Lady made her final apparitions to the shepherd children in Fatima. It was related that our Lady made one of her appearances dressed in a Carmelite habit.
At Saint Therese Church in Alhambra – a southern California city surrounded by Pasadena, San Gabriel, San Marino, and Montebello – the preparations were ready for celebration. The church choir led the full congregation in the late morning for the grand procession of servers, deacons, priests, and the presiding regional bishop from San Fernando, Alexander Salazar. One of those deacons was Brother Raymond who solemnly took his seat in a front pew with his family.
The “Liturgy of Presbyteral Ordination,” as announced on the front cover of the ceremony booklet, continued wonderfully with sung rites, proclamation of the Word, and mounting anticipation to witness the promises to be taken for holy priesthood. Brother Raymond was then called forward. Immediately after the homily, Deacon Brother was presented to the bishop by the Provincial Superior of the order Father Matthew Williams. Following a ritual examination by the bishop, Brother Raymond made his promise of obedience and laid face down in prostration before the altar as the Litany of the Saints was sung.
Upon rising at the end of the litany, the candidate then knelt before the bishop. The bishop then laid his hands upon the head of the candidate. Following ancient custom, the concelebrating priests formed a line and each also laid their hands upon him in a like manner. This is an action traditionally expressing apostolic succession.
The Prayer of Consecration was next given by the bishop. In this prayer the actual ordination occurs. With it Reverend Deacon Brother Raymond became Reverend Father Raymond. He then rose from his knees, a priest in Christ’s holy Church. With much pride Father Raymond’s parents, Ernie and Sallie Bueno, were privileged to vest him in his stole and chausible. They were assisted in this by the Provincial Superior, Father Matthew. All of us there were very proud of the newest of the Carmelite priests of our province.
Fr. Raymond Bueno, O.C.D. Priestly Ordination October 13, 2012
St. Therese ChurchAlhambra, California
From the Provincial Superior
By: Very Rev. Matthew Williams, O.C.D.
By: Fr. David Guzman, O.C.D.
4
From left: Bro. John of the Transfigration and Bro. Shane Michael of St. Therese.
4 5In This House…
A good formation in Carmel is necessary for the growth and maturity of each member of the Order. Human, psychological, intellectual, and spiritual formation will help the Carmelite brother to recognize his God-given talents and
gifts, and to put them at the service of God, the community, the Order, and the Church.
There are different stages of formation. The candidate first becomes a postulant for six months. He is introduced to Carmelite spirituality and our religious way of life. The candidate
experiences life in a Carmelite religious community and during this time he continues his discernment regarding his vocation to religious life in the Carmelite Order.
The second stage in formation is called Novitiate. This is a very important time of growth and learning during which the novice continues his formation as a Carmelite brother and follows the schedule of the community. The novitiate is required by cannon law and according to our constitutions, “The novitiate, by which life in the Order begins, is intended to help the novice recognize his call from God and specifically to the Order, to give him the opportunity of experiencing the way of life of the Order and of testing his intention and suitability.”
Novices have to live in a house that has been designated for that purpose. In our Discalced Carmelite Province of California-Arizona that house is St. Joseph’s monastery in the city of San Jose, California.
The novitiate, according to cannon law “must comprise twelve months spent in the novitiate community,” and there is a program of formation novices have to follow. They receive
classes on Carmelite Spirituality, the constitutions of our Order, history of the Order, writings of Saint Teresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and other Carmelite saints. They prepare themselves for first profession which takes place at the end of the novitiate, a class on the religious vows is taken by the novices in which they deepen their understanding of the Lord’s personal invitation to them to follow him in chastity, poverty, and obedience in Carmel.
Bro. John of the Transfiguration reflects on his novitiate:
“What has the Novitiate been to me?
Prayer, family, kayaking. Kayaking? OK, I’ll explain in a minute.
Prayer. Anchored in the celebration of the Holy Mass, mental prayer, and gathering with the community for the Liturgy of the Hours, Carmel echoes Paul’s teaching that we should pray unceasingly. Prayer should become as instinctive as breathing. How do I breathe? I don’t know; it just happens!
Family. Community is a crucial pillar of religious life. But what does this mean? I arrived here expecting a community sharing space and faith but instead I found a family and the Novitiate: a family within the family. Family life is beautiful because it can be the fertile soil for God’s seeds of love. Family life can be challenging because sometimes there are birds or rocks or thorns.
Kayaking. Right now, the Novitiate is my kayak through the river system of my soul. Kayaks are small and dynamic enough to traverse almost any water condition (depending, of course, on the strength of the kayak and the pilot’s navigational aptitude). One could spend a lifetime kayaking a vast river system like the Amazon – with its infinite variety of tributary facing dubious weather. I know dangerous water lurk ahead but the placid river and lush rain forest also beckon. And ultimately, all flows into the ocean. But I try not to worry about it too much; this remote tributary and today’s weather are here right now.”
Bro. Shane Michael of St. Therese comments:
“What does the Novitiate of the Discalced Carmelite Friars of the California-Arizoa Province mean to me? Well, for starters, it means striving to see the beauty of a gift of grace that challenges me to get over myself and get under my cross and to learn to carry it with love. It means a place of prayer, hard work,
In This House…All Must Be FriendsBy: Fr. Ramiro Casale, O.C.D.
community and solitude where I can become more aware of the real presence of Jesus Christ in the ordinary day to day situations of life. It means turning my ear ever more attentively to our Blessed Mother who is always telling us to “do whatever he tells you.” It means a deeper level of learning to love the Lord my God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength and with all my mind and my neighbor as myself. It means learning that when I fail to do so, as I so often do, God’s infinite Mercy and Love for me never changes. It means growing pains still really hurt. It means a place where my soul can really begin to learn and discover what true love is all about.”
The Discalced Carmelite Order is a family founded by St. Teresa of Avila and her spirit and teaching permeates the program our novices receive at Mount Saint Joseph’s. Novices learn that there are strong pillars that help all our religious to find a balance in our life of unceasing prayer. We are called to
live as brothers helping one another. Saint Teresa said about each one of our communities, “In this house… all must be friends, all must be loved, all must be held dear, all must be helped.” (WP 4,7).
We are to strive with the help of God to grow in virtue and dedicate time to recreate together, getting to know each other more and to strengthen our common life. All is done, as St. Teresa wanted it, with “moderation” (F 13,5). Novices learn also to have a great love for Our Lady of Mt. Carmel to whom our Order is dedicated, St. Joseph our patron, and for the universal Church we want to build up with our lives of prayer and apostolic service.
“Carmel echoes Paul’s teaching that we should pray unceasingly. Prayer should
become as instinctive as breathing.”
“To me, (The Novitiate) means striving to see the beauty of a gift of grace that challenges me to get over myself and get under
my cross and to learn to carry it with love.”
6
Sister Christine of Mary, O.C.D.
Requiescat in Pace, Sister Christine.
6 7Sister Christine of Mary
Carmel of Saint Teresa2013 - 100th Jubilee Year of Foundation Alhambra, California
Second in a series of articles on the monasteries of Discalced Carmelite Nuns located within the boundaries of our Province.
By: Fr. Adam Gregory Gonzales, O.C.D.
After a considerable search in the United States, the Discalced Carmelite Friars of the Irish Province seemed destined to make their American foundation in Alhambra, California. Although Bishop John Cantwell, Bishop of the
Diocese of Los Angeles and San Diego, had entrusted to them the parish in Glendale, God had other plans. Through the combined efforts of Msgr. Cawley, Vicar General of the Diocese, and Mother Baptista, Prioress of the Carmelite Nuns in Alhambra, the Bishop reversed his decision and allowed the Carmelite Friars to locate in Alhambra. It is noted in the chronicles of the Friars that Bishop Cantwell said, “I think that the Carmelite Nuns must be praying you into the diocese. I am now able to offer you a better location than the one in Glendale. I refer to the parish in Alhambra.” (St. Therese Church is located a short six blocks from the Carmelite Nuns Monastery in Alhambra, California.)
The Carmelite Nuns of the Alhambra Carmel arrived in Los Angeles in 1913 from St. Louis, some eleven years before the Friars in 1924. As so often has happened since the days of Saint Teresa, the Nuns paved the way for the Friars. However, the Nuns made three temporary stops on their way to Alhambra. After the use of three temporary and insufficient monasteries in Los Angeles, the Nuns were finally able to settle on three acres of fruit and nut tree filled property on Alhambra Road and Monterey Street. The atmosphere was jubilant as Bishop Cantwell broke ground on Easter Monday, April 17, 1922 for the new monastery which was constructed in the style of Spanish architecture of red brick and a tile roof.
Although there was not enough money for a proper public chapel, Mother Baptista, in her unfailing trust in God, immediately ordered special prayers to be offered to obtain the necessary amount. Mother, herself, pleaded with the Infant Jesus and the money came. The public chapel was built at the same time as the monastery and was completed free of debt. Mother Baptista called this the miracle of the Infant Jesus and dedicated the chapel to him. This was providential as this chapel was needed to serve the Catholic community of Alhambra and the Carmelite Friars for two years. The Nuns generously responded to this need and allowed their chapel to be used as the first parish church.
As the Nuns’ community grew, the time seemed right for their first foundation of another Carmelite monastery. So, when in 1935 the request from the bishop of Sacramento came for a foundation in Sacramento (now relocated to Georgetown,
CA) the Nuns were able to generously respond. The depleted Alhambra monastery again filled and the Nuns graciously responded with three more foundations within the time of eight years: Long Beach, California in 1949 (now suppressed); Salt Lake City, Utah in 1952; and Eugene, Oregon in 1957.
The present community consists of 14 Solemnly Professed Nuns, a novice, and a postulant. In addition to the intense communal and private prayer life of a Carmelite Nun, the Sisters support themselves by distributing altar breads and by doing administrative work for the archdiocese via the internet. Even after the recent and unexpected death of one of their younger Nuns (+Sr. Christine of Mary, O.C.D.) the community remains strong in community and spirit. This is especially due to the long time leadership of Mother Maria (niece of Mother Agnes, one of the first Nuns to enter in Los Angeles) and present Prioress, Sr. Brenda Marie.
Sister Brenda Marie offered the following reflection on the occasion of 100th Anniversary of the Carmel of Saint Teresa: “The Centennial Foundation of our presence in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is truly 100 years of blessings! We have great admiration for Mother Baptista, our Foundress, because of her practical foresight and common sense. Through all these years, her words and wisdom have been passed on and that
is why her presence is still greatly felt among us. May she continue to guide us through another 100 years of blessings!”
In Vintage of Grace, the story of the Friars’ beginnings in California, Fr. Edward Leahy, O.C.D. wrote, “the seeds of a beautiful and lasting friendship were sown in the relationship of the First
and Second Orders of Carmel in Alhambra….With feelings of deep app rec i a t i on and gratitude, the Carmelite Fathers and Brothers
place on record the unaffected support of their sisters of the Alhambra Carmel.” This relationship has continued to grow over the last seventy-nine years. Our Friars have served as their chaplains since their arrival in 1924 and our spiritual and fraternal bonds have mightily grown in the spirit of Saint Teresa of Jesus and St. John of the Cross ever since.
In journeying with his sister through her suffering and death, Sr. Christine’s brother, Joe, made the following reflection on her vow of obedience: “Jesus was doing His Father’s will and he knew it would be painful to the point of death. He sweated blood in the garden; Christine was obedient to doing the wills of the doctors, of the Sisters and she never objected. Her only request was to remove the protein mass in her head, first, before the treatment of the lungs so that she could pray. She was obedient to her Carmelite vocation to the point of sacrificing her life.”
Another of Sr. Christine’s brothers, Tuan, made the following reflection just hours before her death: “Please do not be unhappy, but joyous. Sr. Christine wants us all to know that she feels so loved, is completely at peace, and will be with our Lord soon. Throughout the ordeal she never lost her faith. I pray the Lord will give me the words to one day share with you the grace she possesses and how Christ-like she is.”
Sister Christine of Mary, O.C.D.Discalced Carmelite Nuns of Alhambra, CaliforniaCame from God – September 5, 1963 Entered Carmel – June 18, 1992Returned to God – January 8, 2013
“The Centennial Foundation of our presence in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles is truly
100 years of blessings!”
Editor's Note: Vintage of Grace, by Fr. Edward Leahy, O.C.D. may be purchased
through the El Carmelo Retreat House. For more information, please contact the gift
“The Blessed Virgin Mary can teach us who her son is.”
Our obligation in our relationship with Jesus is spend-ing the necessary time with him in prayer.
“If you grow accustomed to having Him present at your side, and He sees that you do so with love… you will not be able—as they
say—to get away from Him.”
8 9Friendship with Christ
Friendship with Christ:A Path to Living the Year of FaithBy: Fr. Raymond Bueno, O.C.D.
The Carmelite tradition has a treasure chest full of gems that can guide us on our journey throughout this year dedicated to the faith, but one element of Carmelite Spirituality stands out in my mind—
friendship with Christ. Developing a relationship with the Second person of the Trinity is a fundamental component to the Christian life, but it is one that is easily forgotten. Catholics have the temptation to go through the external movements of the faith without much reflection. Simply going to Mass on Sunday, or reciting our prayers without a conscious effort to consider who it is that we come to Mass to worship, or to whom we are speaking in our prayers, does not condition us with the necessary tools to build a fruitful relationship with Christ. Building friendships with Christ and with other human persons happens in the same way.
Let us begin by speaking about friendship on a natural human level. All human beings desire friendship and to a certain degree need friendship. By our nature, we are social animals. We yearn for companionship. It is only in communion with other human persons that we can fully express our personhood. Even though we are social animals, relationships are not a given in our lives. We have to work to build relationships by
going through the socially accepted customs of introductions, conversation, common interests, and sustaining the relationship through continued contact with the other person. If we do not talk to a person it becomes impossible to build a relationship with that person. The way that we build relationships with other persons is a reflection of how we build a relationship with Christ. Forming a friendship with Christ is the first step in our spiritual lives.
St. Teresa of Jesus teaches us the necessity of building a relationship with Christ so that we can deepen our spiritual life, but at the same time we deepen our life of faith. In building a friendship with Christ, the principles of our faith move from the abstract concepts and doctrines to a practical way of life, which manifests itself in our relationships with ourselves, others and the world at large. Our life of faith must move from a self-centered focus to a community focus. The Year of Faith is designed to help us make this movement. The central focus of the Year of Faith is to help all of the faithful become evangelizers of the Gospel of Christ. This vocation to evangelize is grounded in our baptism when each of us was consecrated priest, prophet, and king with Christ. The Teresian concept of friendship with Christ can help us fulfill this mission. What does St. Teresa say about friendship with Christ?
In St. Teresa’s teaching, spending time with Christ is the best way to build our friendship with him. Teresa writes:
Believe me, you should remain with so good a friend as long as you can. If you grow accustomed to having Him present at your side, and He sees that you do so with love and that you go about striving to please Him, you will not be able—as they say—to get away from Him; He will never fail you; He will help you in all your trials; you will find him everywhere. Do you think it’s some small matter to have a friend like this at your side?
St. Teresa is teaching her sisters, and by extension us, that our obligation in our relationship with Jesus is spending the
necessary time with him in prayer so that we can get to know him. Christ is always faithful to us. He never leaves us or abandons us, but we have the tendency to leave him. We come to him when we need something, but we forget that he desires us to come to him continually—in love. Christ is the perfect friend. When we get to know Christ as a friend, our faith is deepened.
Friendship with Christ can be a sure way to live the Year of Faith, and it can teach us to be evangelizers in our daily lives. When we get to know Christ as a friend, we begin to preach a person and not an abstract God that is far removed from the world. Our conceptual faith is brought down to earth and is made a practical way of life. Here are a few ways that we can begin to build a friendship with Christ. First, pray with Sacred Scripture, in a particular, way with the passion narratives. By praying over the passion narratives, we get to know Jesus in his human nature. Second, strengthen our devotion to the Mother of God. The Blessed Virgin Mary can teach us who her son is. Third, in times of prayer simply have a conversation with Christ. It’s important to remember to have a dialogue and not a monologue. To be involved in a conversation we have to learn how to speak, but also how to listen. These are a few ways that we can get to know Christ, and as a result, how we get to know ourselves.
As we progress through the Year of Faith, let us follow the lead of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Let us build a friendship with Christ so that we can bring the Gospel to those in our lives that might not know Christ and his truth. May God be with us as we fulfill this mission to the world.
The Year of Faith
On October 11, 2011 Pope Benedict XVI issued an Apostolic Letter entitled, “Porta Fidei,” which announced the Year of Faith. The Holy Father desired to dedicate a Year of Faith so that the faithful could be called
to a renewal of their faith.
The opening day of the Year of Faith concurs with the opening of the Second Vatican Council, and the promulgation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, both of which have had an impact on the contemporary Church. The Year of Faith was inaugurated on October 11, 2012, and will close with the Solemnity of Christ the King on November 24, 2013. The Year of Faith can be lived in a variety of ways, but our concern is how this year can be lived as
Carmelites.
Teresa of Jesus. The Interior Castle. Vol. 2. Trans. Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriguez. Washington D.C.: ICS, 1980. Pg. 133.
When I was fourteen, my mother told me that I needed to start going to the youth group at Santa Cruz Parish if I wanted to continue attending Luz Academy High School. At first I did not want to go to the youth group because I was not strong in my faith, and I thought the group was a ton of Jesus freaks just reading the Bible 24/7. Little did I know that I was wrong. I continued going to the youth group, and I started to love the people that attended, I started to appreciate a wonderful priest name Fr. Philip Sullivan, and the love of my faith began to grow.
In the beginning, I thought that Fr. Philip was crazy. He was walking around, saying odd things, and trying to get the group in order for the proj-ect he planned for the evening. Everyone was laughing, and talking, and work-ing on the activity. I was just sitting in my seat baffled by what I had seen. They were not reading the Bible at all! There was always a different activity happening every week from social nights, to talks, to reading the Bible, even confession. After I went to the first confession session as a group, I felt this huge sense of relief and freedom, and I loved it! I had done that confession with Fr. Philip, and from then on things began to change for me. I started attending mass regularly, I began to really develop my love for God, I learned more about Catholicism, I learned to appreciate life and those in it, and I learned to love the gifts with which God had blessed me.
The way that Fr.Philip talks to you, it just makes you really realize everything in your life. He helps you to gain courage to take on life. He assits you when-ever and however he is able. He just changed my life completely with everything he has ever told me. He’s that best friend, mentor, and priest that you rarely encounter. If it was not for him, then I wouldn’t be the person I am today. He helped me get on the correct path, and I am forever grateful. Thank you very much Fr. Philip. May God bless you always. Palm Sunday Mass at Mount St. Joseph Monastery.
Fr. Thomas Reeves, O.C.D. leads the Palm Sunday liturgy at Santa Cruz parish in Tucson AZ.
Fr. Ramiro, Bro. Shane and Bro. John with new postulants. Clockwise from top right: Fr. Alfredo Pereira, Joseph Gir-
oux, Danny Tran, Juan Torres and James Lindsay.
Fr. Philip Sullivan tends to Fr. Jerome Lantry
(seated) as a parishioner greets him.
10 11Happenings
HappeningsAround the Province
The Provincial Superior, Fr. Matthew Williams, along with Fr. Adam Gregory Gonzales, Fr. Philip Sullivan, and Fr. David Guzman attended the Cardinal’s Award Dinner in Los Angeles on February 9, 2013. Their attendance was in support of Sr. Regina Marie Gorman, O.C.D., Vicar General and former Superior General of the Carmelite Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart in Los Angeles. Sr. Regina Marie was one of five honorees recognized by Archbishop José H. Gomez at the annual Cardinal’s Award Dinner.
Fr. Raymond Bueno did a great job preparing the RCIA class this year at Santa Cruz church in Tucson AZ. Five adults were baptized and 14 received the sacrament of Confirmation during the Easter Vigil Mass.
On Palm Sunday, the Carmelite priests serving the Santa Cruz parish in Tucson AZ had a joyful procession with parishioners through the neighborhood streets. There was singing and even a donkey!
Fr. James Zakowicz, pastor at St. Cecila church in Stanwood, WA relates the following: “I have a great story from Easter morning Mass. As I walked through the congregation sprinkling them with holy water I heard a little baby giggle after having been surprised by the water. This was a grace for me and I told them that this is how we are to recall the gift of Baptism -- with childlike joy!”
Fr. Thomas (aka “Fr. Tommaso”) Koller led a three day parish mission in honor of St Joseph, patron of our province, at Santa Cruz Church.
Br. Charles Nawodylo and Br. Peter Mary Vecillio received the ministry of acolyte on April 10, 2013. “Acolyte” is the ministry to serve at the altar as a preparation for priesthood. Bishop George Thomas from Helena presided at the liturgy. Please keep Br. Charles and Br. Peter in your prayers!
Brother Daniel and Br. Peter had the privilege of acting as MC and server at all the liturgies at St. Cecelia parish in Stanwood, WA. Br. Peter recalls, “It was a tremendous honor to witness the baptism of an 84-yaer-old man at the Easter Vigil. I told him after it was all over that this was the closest I had ever been to a saint. Thanks be to God!”
Fr. Stephen and two of the brothers celebrated the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday at our Discalced Carmelite Nuns Monastery in Eugene, OR. After the two liturgies, our nuns treated the brethren to an Easter feast (and they are very good cooks!)
“When I was fourteen, my mother told me that I needed to start going to the youth group at Santa Cruz Parish if I wanted to continue attending Luz Academy High School. At first I did not want to go to the youth group because I was not strong in my faith, and I thought the group was a ton of Jesus freaks just reading the Bible 24/7. Little did I know that I was wrong. I continued going to the youth group, and I started to love the people that attended, I started to appreciate a wonderful priest name Fr. Philip Sullivan, and the love of my faith began to grow.
In the beginning, I thought that Fr. Philip was crazy. He was walking around, saying odd things, and trying to get the group in order for the project he planned for the evening. Everyone was laughing, and talking, and working on the activity. I was just sitting in my seat baffled by what I had seen. They were not reading the Bible at all! There was always a different activity happening every week from social nights, to talks, to reading the Bible, even confession.
After I went to the first confession session as a group, I felt this huge sense of relief and freedom, and I loved it! I had done that confession with Fr. Philip, and from then on things began to change for me. I started attending mass regularly, I began to really develop my love for God, I learned more about Catholicism, I learned to appreciate life and those in it, and I learned to love the gifts with which God had blessed me.
The way that Fr.Philip talks to you, it just makes you really realize everything in your life. He helps you to gain courage to take on life. He assits you whenever and however he is able. He just changed my life completely with everything he has ever told me. He’s that best friend, mentor, and priest that you rarely encounter. If it was not for him, then I wouldn’t be the person I am today. He helped me get on the correct path, and I am forever grateful.
Thank you very much Fr. Philip. May God bless you always.”
How have our Discalced Carmelite Friars touched your life? We want to hear your story!
Use the enclosed envelope to submit your story to us. Or email us at [email protected]. Please include your name and contact information so that we can contact you in the event that we would like to share your story with our readers.
Thank You! JM+JT
ConnectionsFriars impacting lives with the Good News! By: Sarah Gomez January 17, 2012 Tucson AZ
12
P.O Box 8700Redlands, CA 92375
Discalced Carmelite Friars Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage PaidPermit 100Claremont, CA
California-Arizona Province
Cover PhotoFr. Adam Gregory Gonzales, O.C.D.
PhotographyFr. Thomas Koller, O.C.D.Nuns of the Alhambra CarmelFriars of the California-Arizona Province
Discalced Carmelite FriarsCalifornia - Arizona Province
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Thank you!
We pray in gratitude for your generous gifts and the sacrifices you make to support our Carmelite community. In all that we do, we want the world to know the love of Jesus Christ. We ask you to continue to pray with us for God’s blessings as we give life to the Carmelite traditions.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Novena
Carmel is all Mary’s. The friars will begin their annual Our Lady of Mount Carmel Novena on Monday, July 8, 2013 and conclude on Tuesday, July 16, 2013, the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. We are honored to be able to pray for your loved ones and special intentions!Please return the enclosed envelope with your novena intentions today!
St. Joseph Legacy Society
Become a member of the St. Joseph Legacy Society by including the Friars as a benefi-ciary of your will, trust, retirement plan, or life insurance policy. If you have already arranged for a bequest or other planned gift, we would like to honor your sup-
port. Please notify us and become a member. If you are still considering such a gift, let us know so we can help you and your advisors complete your gift in a way that benefits your estate and makes clear your intention to help the Discalced Carmelite Friars of the Cali-fornia – Arizona Province.
For more information or help getting started, contact:
